Free-form entries during payment processes

ABSTRACT

Various methods and systems are provided that allow a user to perform a free-form action, such as making a mark on a device, speaking into a device, and/or moving the device, to cause a step to be performed that conventionally was performed by the user having to locate and select a button or link on the device.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to conducting a financialtransaction on-line and in particular to conducting financialtransactions using free-form entries to select desired actions.

2. Related Art

During a typical payment process flow, the user may be asked toauthorize a payment or transmission before the transaction can becompleted. Authorization may include the user selecting a specificbutton or link, such as “Pay Now,” “Confirm,” “Send,” “Purchase,” “Buy,”etc. The user may also have the option of selecting a specific button orlink to perform other actions, such as cancel the transaction (e.g.,“Cancel”), continue shopping (e.g., “Continue”), save to cart or account(e.g., “Save”), etc. By selecting such buttons or links, which may bedone by clicking or tapping, the desired information is conveyed to therecipient, typically a payment provider or merchant in a purchasetransaction.

However, requiring the user to select a specific button can beinconvenient because the user has to look for, find, and select thebutton on the screen. This can be problematic with small screens, smallbuttons, and mobile devices in situations when the user or device ismoving or non-stationary. As a result, the user may select the wrongbutton or spend extra time and effort to select the desired button. Allthis leads can lead to frustration by the user, cancellation of apurchase transaction, either intentional or inadvertent, hesitancy toengage in a future transaction, and other consequences that may beundesirable for the merchant, user, or payment provider.

In addition, simple selection of the buttons is a relatively mundanetask, which while needed, may not be much fun for the user.

Therefore, a need exists for ways in which a user can make selections ona device that overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a user places a checkmark or “V” anywhere on the display to convey an approval and an “X”anywhere on the display to cancel a transaction or process. For atouch-screen display, the user simply swipes the screen with the user'sfinger to place the desired mark on the display. In other types ofdisplays, the user may use a stylus, mouse, track ball, or other meanssuitable to the display. Once the mark is placed, the correspondingaction is performed. For example, when a user is ready to make apayment, typically conveyed by clicking a “Pay” button, the user maysimply place a check mark on the screen instead of looking for andselecting the specific button.

In other embodiments, different “free-form” marks or actions can be usedto convey information typically conveyed through one or more buttons orlinks. Examples include drawing a currency symbol to show a currencyconversion from the current currency to the swiped currency or to send apayment using the currency that was swiped, shaking the mobile device tocancel the current transaction, and double tapping the screen to skip areview screen and proceed directly to checkout. The “free-form” actionscan also be verbal. For example, the user may say “checkout” or otherword or phrase to complete or initiate a checkout, “cancel” or “end” tocancel or restart a transaction, or other suitable words during variousstages of a process or transaction. In another embodiment, the actionmay be shaking the device to cancel or restart a transaction.

Thus, the user is provided a fun and easy way to handle various stagesof a transaction on a user device, without having to find and selectspecific buttons or links.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily apparent from the detailed description of the embodimentsset forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a process an entity performs forprocessing a user request using a free-form action according to oneembodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process an entity performs forassociating a user with specific free-form actions according to oneembodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3F show various examples of free-form actions on a device;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a networked system configured to handle atransaction using free form actions according to one embodiment; and;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a computer system suitable for implementingone or more components according to one embodiment.

Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are bestunderstood by referring to the detailed description that follows. Itshould be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identifylike elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, whereinshowings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of thepresent disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a flowchart 100 showing a process an entity performs forprocessing a user request using a free-form action according to oneembodiment of the present disclosure. The entity may be any type ofsystem or person who processes a user action, such as a financialinstitution, a payment provider (e.g., PayPal, Inc. of San Jose,Calif.), a merchant or retailer site, an on-line marketplace, a socialnetworking site, a hospital, a government agency, etc. At step 102, theentity presents a screen or display to the user requesting the user forsome type of action. This may be part of a payment, shopping,on-boarding, or any suitable process that requires the user to performan action. The action may include, but is not limited to, confirming atransaction, canceling a transaction, continuing a transaction,initiating a transaction, converting a currency, or skipping a step in aprocess. Transactions may be payment, shopping, financial, or any othersuitable transaction.

The screen presented to the user at step 102 may be in response to arequest from the user, such as initiating a transaction, or as part of,including completion of, a transaction. The screen is presented on auser device having a display that allows the user to perform a free-formaction, which may include making a mark on the display, inputting anaudio word or phrase, or shaking or moving the user device. Examples ofsuitable devices may be a PC, smart phone, laptop, or other computingdevice. The device may have a touch-screen display, such as an iPhone byApple, or displays in which the user can speak a command into the deviceor make a mark, such as with a stylus, mouse, track ball, track pad, orother means.

In response to seeing the screen requesting the user for an action, theuser performs a free-form action. In one embodiment, the user swipes acheck mark or “V” on the screen, such as with the user's finger or amouse. Other free-form actions may include marks such as an “X,” a slash“\” or “/”, a currency symbol, or any other suitable mark. In differentembodiments, the free-form action may also be or alternatively be avoice command, such as “cancel,” “continue,” “yes,” “no,” “confirm,”etc. or a movement, such as shaking the device to cancel or restart atransaction. Thus, the user device must be capable of processing thefree-form action and transmitting it to the entity or system processingthe transaction. For swipes and other movements, the device detects themovement on or through the display and converts the movement to a signalfor transmission. For audio actions, the device converts the audiocommand to a signal for transmission. For movements, an accelerometer orother motion-sensing device processes the detected motion and convertsthe motion to a signal for transmission. Such methods are conventionallyknown. Transmission may be through any suitable communication medium,such as through the Internet via a wired or wireless connection.

Once the user performs the free-form action, the corresponding signal istransmitted to and received, at step 104, by the system processing thetransaction. The system then determines, at step 106, whether the useraction is recognized. An unrecognizable action may be the result of theuser performing a proper action, but in a way that is unrecognizable tothe system. For example, if the user was intending to swipe a checkmark, that action may be unrecognizable because the check mark was madein an area outside an acceptable area of the user display, the mark wasmade too quickly for the device to properly process it, and/or the markwas not made properly (e.g., lines not straight enough or broken). Theaction may also be unrecognizable because it was not an action acceptedby the system, e.g., the user swiping a circle when a circle does notcorrespond to anything in the system, the user saying “Commence” whenthat word does not correspond to anything in the system, or the usershaking the device in a circle when the device only recognizes an up anddown motion.

If the user action received at step 104 is determined as one that is notrecognized by the system, the system notifies the user at step 108. Thenotification may be a text or audio message informing the user that theaction was not accepted or recognized. The user may re-enter the actionif requested by the system. The number of re-entries, which can be zero,may be limited, as determined by the system.

If the action is recognized by the system, as determined at step 106,the action is processed at step 110. Some examples of actions include,but are not limited to, confirm a payment, send a payment, cancel atransaction, convert a currency, send a payment in a selected currency,initiate a checkout process, approve a transaction, and cancel apayment. After processing, the user may be sent a message about thestatus of the action, e.g., that the payment was successfullytransmitted. This can be through any means, such as a text message,email, recorded voice message, etc.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart 200 showing a process an entity performs forassociated a user with specific free-form actions according to oneembodiment. This process may or may not be performed. However, thisprocess may be performed such that variations of certain free-formactions can be taken into consideration so that variations from user touser are still recognized by the entity. For example, one user may drawa check mark fast and with very straight lines, while another user maydraw a check mark slowly and with crooked lines. Thus, the process inflowchart 200 may allow a system, such as one that process or convertsactions on the device to a suitable transmission signal, to betterinterpret specific user actions.

At step 202, the user is requested to enter a specific action that is tobe recognized by the system and/or entity processing the action request,such as PayPal, Inc. For example, the user may be requested to draw acheck mark, “X,” “$,” “£,” or other visual mark, say “Cancel,”“Approve,” “Checkout,” or other audio comments, or move the device in anup and down motion, side to side motion, or other physical movement. Theuser does the requested action, which is processed by the system. Next,at step 204, the user is asked to repeat the action for confirmation.The user repeats the action requested from step 202, and the systemprocesses the repeated action.

A determination is then made at step 206 whether the action in step 202and the action in step 204 matches. Determining a match between twoactions can be done with conventional and known methods and algorithms.The system may decide how much variation is acceptable between the twoactions. For example, with a mobile device, the system may be willing toaccept wider variations than with a PC or laptop because the user and/ordevice may be moving when the action is being performed.

If the two actions to not match, the user may be requested to enter andre-enter the action again. This may be beneficial if the first enteredaction at step 202 was incorrect or not what the user intended. In otherembodiments, the user may be asked only to repeat or re-enter the actionat step 204. Once there is a match, the action, which may from step 202,step 204, or a combination of steps 202 and 204, is stored with thesystem at step 208. The stored action is associated with the specificuser. Thus, when a user logs into the system, the user can match theuser action with what is stored for that user, resulting in a systemthat may be more reliable, with less errors and unrecognizable actions.

FIGS. 3A-3F show various examples of using a free-form action on adevice. In FIG. 3A, a typical user device is shown as a smart phone 300,such as an iPhone from Apple. The display shows an item for sale 302,along with a button for calling the seller 304, a button for directionsto the seller 306, and a button for purchasing the item 308.Conventionally, if the user wants to purchase item 302, the user selectspurchase button 308, such as by tapping on the button. However, asdiscussed above, it may be difficult or inconvenient for the user tolocate and then tap the button, especially if the user and/or device ismoving. In addition, the user may inadvertently select directions button306. Using a free-form action, the user may simply swipe or draw a checkmark on the display to perform the same function as purchase button 308.The swipe may be on a specific area of the display or anywhere on thedisplay.

If the user wishes to cancel the current screen or re-start a search,the user may swipe or draw an “X” on the display.

FIG. 3B shows an example where the user draws a check mark on thedisplay. This may function the same as if the user selected the“Continue” button. In other words, by drawing a check mark, the paymentprocess may continue with the payment process instead of having tolocate and select the “Continue” button.

FIGS. 3C and 3D shows displays where the user is asked to review thepayment information and either cancel to payment or send the payment. InFIG. 3C, the user may draw a check mark to send the payment withoutselecting the “Send” button. In FIG. 3D, the user may draw an “X” markto cancel the payment without selecting the “Cancel” button.

FIGS. 3E and 3F shows examples of drawing a currency symbol as afree-form action. In FIG. 3E, the user draws a U.S. dollar sign ($),instead of scrolling through different selections, to choose thetransaction be conducted with U.S. dollars. Using a scroll wheel may becumbersome and inefficient, as the user may scroll through the desiredselection, or incorrectly select an adjacent selection. Drawing thecurrency symbol may also eliminate the need for the user to select the“Done” button, although in some embodiments, the user may still berequired to select the “Done” button to proceed. In FIG. 3F, the userdraws an English pound sign (£) to chance the current from U.S. dollarsto English pounds.

Thus, using different free-form actions, such as marks/symbols, vocalcommands, or physical device movements, the user may cause an action tobe performed without having to locate and select a specific button orlink on the device.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a networked system 400 configured to handlea transaction using free-form actions, such as described above, inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. System 400 includes auser or consumer device 410 associated with a user 405, a merchantserver 440, and a payment service provider server 470 in communicationover a network 460. Payment service provider server 470 may bemaintained by a payment provider, such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose,Calif.

User device 410, merchant server 440, and payment service providerserver 470 may each include one or more processors, memories, and otherappropriate components for executing instructions such as program codeand/or data stored on one or more computer readable mediums to implementthe various applications, data, and steps described herein. For example,such instructions may be stored in one or more computer readable mediasuch as memories or data storage devices internal and/or external tovarious components of system 400, and/or accessible over network 460.

Network 460 may be implemented as a single network or a combination ofmultiple networks. For example, in various embodiments, network 460 mayinclude the Internet or one or more intranets, landline networks,wireless networks, and/or other appropriate types of networks.

User device 410 may be implemented using any appropriate combination ofhardware and/or software configured for wired and/or wirelesscommunication over network 460. For example, in one embodiment, userdevice 410 may be implemented as a smart phone of user 405 incommunication with the Internet, where user 405 is typically a person.In other embodiments, user device 410 may be implemented as a personaldigital assistant (PDA), notebook computer, PC and/or other types ofcomputing devices having an interactive display and capable of wirelesscomputing, data transmission, and data receiving.

As shown, user device 410 may include one or more browser applications415 which may be used, for example, to provide a convenient interface topermit user 405 to browse information available over network 460. Forexample, in one embodiment, browser application 415 may be implementedas a web browser configured to view information available over theInternet, such as a merchant site or shopping site. User device 410 mayalso include one or more toolbar applications 420 which may be used, forexample, to provide client-side processing for performing desired tasksin response to operations selected by user 405. In one embodiment,toolbar application 420 may display a user interface for registeringfree-form actions and/or in connection with browser application 415 asfurther described herein.

In addition, user device 410 may include a payment application 422 thatenables payments to be processed, sent, received by the device. Paymentprocessing may be with a merchant or individual.

User device 410 may further include other applications 425 as may bedesired in particular embodiments to provide desired features to userdevice 410. For example, applications 425 may include securityapplications for implementing client-side security features,programmatic client applications for interfacing with appropriateapplication programming interfaces (APIs) over network 460, or othertypes of applications. Applications 425 may also include display andprocessing of images on the device display, such as the above-describeddisplay that allow the user to enter free-form actions. Furthermore,applications 425 may allow processing of audio, motion, or other visualmarks on the device. User device 410 may include one or more useridentifiers 430 which may be implemented, for example, as operatingsystem registry entries, cookies associated with browser application415, identifiers associated with hardware of user device 410, or otherappropriate identifiers, such as used for payment/user/deviceauthentication. In one embodiment, user identifier 430 may be used by apayment service provider to associate user 405 with a particular accountmaintained by the payment service provider as further described herein.

Merchant server 440 may be maintained, for example, by an on-linemerchant or shopping site offering various products and/or services inexchange for payment, which may be received over network 460. Merchantserver 440 may include a database 445 identifying available productsand/or services (e.g., collectively referred to as items) which may bemade available for viewing and purchase by user 405. Accordingly,merchant server 440 also includes a marketplace application 450 whichmay be configured to serve information over network 460 to browser 415of user device 410. In one embodiment, user 405 may interact withmarketplace application 450 through browser applications over network460 in order to view various products or services identified in database445.

Merchant server 440 may also include a checkout application 455configured to facilitate the purchase by user 405 of goods or servicesidentified by marketplace application 450. Checkout application 455 maybe configured to accept payment information from user 405 and/or frompayment service provider server 470, through any number of differentfunding sources, over network 460. If desired, checkout application 455or another application may also be configured to process or recognizefree-form actions from user 405 that is conveyed through user device 410to merchant server 440.

Payment service provider server 470 may be maintained, for example, byan online payment service provider which may provide payment on behalfof user 405 to the operator of merchant server 440 or to another user,such as for person to person payments. Payment service provider server470 may include one or more payment applications 475 configured tointeract with user device 410 and/or merchant server 440 over network460 to facilitate the purchase of goods or services by user 405 of userdevice 410 from merchant server 440 or another user, as well as transfermoney between entities or individuals.

Payment service provider server 470 also maintains a plurality of useraccounts 480, each of which may include account information 485associated with individual users. For example, account information 485may include private or sensitive information of users of devices such asaccount numbers, passwords, phone numbers, credit card information, bankinformation, user-selected patterns or other financial information whichmay be used to facilitate online transactions by user 405.Advantageously, payment application 475 may be configured to interactwith merchant server 440 on behalf of user 405 during a transaction withcheckout application 455 to track and manage purchases or moneytransfers made by users.

Payment application 475 may include a mobile payment processingapplication 494 which may be configured to receive information from amobile user device and/or merchant server 440 for storage in a paymentdatabase 495. Payment application 475 may be further configured to matchdata received from a mobile device with information stored in paymentdatabase 495 for payment authentication and processing. This data mayinclude the user's device phone number, email, password, and/or PIN. Iffree-form actions are to be converted and processed by the paymentservice provider, one or more free-form action applications 496 may alsobe included as part of or separate from payment application 475.Free-form applications may register, associate, and/or convert useractions on the user device as discussed above.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a computer system 500 suitable forimplementing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Invarious implementations, the user device may comprise a personalcomputing device (e.g., a smart phone, laptop, personal computer, PDA,etc.) capable of communicating with the network. The merchant and/orpayment provider may utilize a network computing device (e.g., a networkserver) capable of communicating with the network. It should beappreciated that each of the devices utilized by users, merchants, andpayment providers may be implemented as computer system 500 in a manneras follows.

Computer system 500 includes a bus 502 or other communication mechanismfor communicating information data, signals, and information betweenvarious components of computer system 500. Components include an inputcomponent 504 that processes a user action, such as selecting keys froma keypad/keyboard, selecting one or more buttons or links, etc., andsends a corresponding signal to bus 502. A transceiver 506 transmits andreceives signals between computer system 500 and other devices, such asa merchant server, payment provider server, or another user device. Inone embodiment, the transmission is wireless, although othertransmission mediums and methods may also be suitable. A display 508,such as an LCD or touch screen, is suitable for displaying an image(e.g., a step in a transaction, such as a payment transaction) andreceiving a user action on that image (e.g., a user mark or swipe), suchas described above. An audio component 509, such as a microphone,processes audio or voice commands, and a motion sensing component 510,such as an accelerometer, senses and process device movements from theuser, again such as described above. A processor 512, which can be amicro-controller, digital signal processor (DSP), or other processingcomponent, processes various signals from display 508, audio component509, and motion sensing component 510, for transmission to other devicesvia a communication link 518 through a network interface 519.

Components of computer system 500 also include a system memory component514 (e.g., RAM) and a static storage component 516 (e.g., ROM), whichcan be used to store free-form actions associated with a user. Computersystem 500 performs specific operations by processor 512 and othercomponents by executing one or more sequences of instructions containedin system memory component 514. Logic may be encoded in a computerreadable medium, which may refer to any medium that participates inproviding instructions to processor 512 for execution. Such a medium maytake many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media,volatile media, and transmission media. In various implementations,non-volatile media includes optical or magnetic disks, volatile mediaincludes dynamic memory, such as system memory component 514, andtransmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiberoptics, including wires that comprise bus 502. In one example,transmission media may take the form of acoustic or light waves, such asthose generated during radio wave, optical, and infrared datacommunications.

Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example,floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, anyother physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM,FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, carrier wave, or anyother medium from which a computer is adapted to read. Secure storageelements may be present within or apart from a main storage.

In various embodiments, execution of instruction sequences to practicethe present disclosure may be performed by computer system 500. Invarious other embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality ofcomputer systems 500 coupled by communication link 518 to the network(e.g., such as a LAN, WLAN, PTSN, and/or various other wired or wirelessnetworks, including telecommunications, mobile, and cellular phonenetworks) may perform instruction sequences to practice the presentdisclosure in coordination with one another, such as processingfree-form actions performed by the user as part of a transactionprocess.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware componentsand/or software components set forth herein may be combined intocomposite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable,the various hardware components and/or software components set forthherein may be separated into sub-components comprising software,hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated thatsoftware components may be implemented as hardware components andvice-versa.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode and/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readablemediums. It is also contemplated that software identified herein may beimplemented using one or more general purpose or specific purposecomputers and/or computer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Whereapplicable, the ordering of various steps described herein may bechanged, combined into composite steps, and/or separated into sub-stepsto provide features described herein.

The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosureto the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, itis contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modificationsto the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or impliedherein, are possible in light of the disclosure. For example,non-specific free-form actions may also be suitable to replace having tolocate and select buttons. An action, such as a double-tap by the useron the device, may function the same as bypassing a review screen anddirects the user immediately to an end step of the process. Furthermore,the above has described several examples of free-form actions, but onesnot described may also be part of the invention, with the concept thatsome sort of recognizable free-form action can replace the function oflocating and selecting a button or link on a device for performing theappropriate action during a transaction. Having thus describedembodiments of the present disclosure, persons of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail withoutdeparting from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the presentdisclosure is limited only by the claims.

1. A device comprising: a display that receives a free-form action froma user; and a processor configured to convert the free-form action to asignal corresponding to an action of a button or link on the display andtransmit the signal to cause the action to be performed.
 2. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a mark on thedisplay.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the mark comprises a checkmark or an “X.”
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the display is atouch-screen display, and the mark is made by the user making the markon the display with a finger.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein thefree-form action comprises a check mark and the action of the button orlink is equivalent to an approve or continue function.
 6. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises an “X” mark and theaction of the button or link is equivalent to a cancel function.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the free-form action comprises a currencysymbol and the action of the button or link is equivalent to a currencyconversion function.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the free-formaction comprises a plurality of taps on the display.
 9. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the free-form action may be performed by the useranywhere on an active area of the display.
 10. The device of claim 1,wherein the device is a smart phone.
 11. A device comprising: a displaythat shows a user a requested free-form action; an input component thatreceives the free-form action from the user; and a processor configuredto convert the free-form action to a signal corresponding to an actionof a button or link on the display and transmit the signal to cause theaction to be performed
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the inputcomponent is a microphone.
 13. The device of claim 12, wherein thefree-form action is an audio command.
 14. The device of claim 11,wherein the input component is a motion-sensing component.
 15. Thedevice of claim 14, wherein the free-form action comprises a motion tothe device.
 16. The device of claim 11, wherein the input component isthe display.
 17. A machine-readable medium comprising a plurality ofmachine-readable instructions which when executed by one or moreprocessors of a server are adapted to cause the server to perform amethod comprising: requesting a user to perform a free-form action on auser device display corresponding to an action associated with a buttonor link; receiving the free-form action; determining whether thefree-form action matches the action associated with the button or link;and processing the action associated with the button or link.
 18. Themachine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the free-form actioncomprises a mark on the display.
 19. The machine-readable medium ofclaim 18, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and the mark ismade by the user making the mark on the display with a finger.
 20. Themachine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the mark comprises a checkmark for approving or continuing or an “X” mark for canceling.
 21. Themachine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the free-form actioncomprises a currency symbol and the action of the button or link isequivalent to a currency conversion function.
 22. The machine-readablemedium of claim 17, wherein the free-form action may be performed by theuser anywhere on an active area of the display.